The present invention is directed to an improved infant care device. More particularly, the present invention is directed to an improved stroller which permits a baby to be positioned to face any direction and may be converted to function as a walker and/or a play station.
Assembling all the needed items for taking a family trip, when the family includes one or more babies/toddlers, is no small task. The growth in popularity of minivans is due, at least in part, to the need for adequate storage space to transport these items. The needed items include a stroller, a walker, and a play station, not to mention the diapers, clothes, formula/food and a vast assortment of additional paraphernalia, which often discourages families with small children from traveling at all.
In addition, although strollers are the number one selling baby item, there has been very little new and exciting implemented recently. Most strollers lack versatility. For example, the seat or carriage is locked to require the infant to sit either face forward or rearward, with a few carriages having sun shield which flips back and forth to permit the baby to face either direction.
It is among the intentions of the present invention to provide a stroller which enables the seat for the baby to be locked in any desired orientation throughout a 360° span. In addition, the present device combines the features of a stroller, walker and a play station into a single unit eliminating the cost associated with buying three separate items and the hassle of finding space to store/transport them.
The device of the present invention comprises a combined baby stroller and toddler walker including a) a wheeled carriage having i) a handle to permit said combined baby stroller and toddler walker to be pushed in a desired direction, ii) a plurality of wheel elements supporting said wheeled carriage; b) a seat for receiving a child; c) means for mounting said seat on said wheeled carriage which permits a height said seat is positioned above said wheeled carriage to be varied; d) means for locking at least one of said plurality of wheeled elements; whereby said seat may be lowered to a position where the toddler's feet engage the ground and, with said locking means engaged, the toddler may safely move in a circle about said locked wheel.
The combined baby stroller includes means to permit said seat to be rotated through 360° about a vertical axis and locking means to lock said seat in any desired position. In addition, the device comprises a play station surrounding said seat. The locking means can be disengaged to permit said toddler to rotate freely about said vertical axis. The locking means on both rear wheels we be engaged when the combined baby stroller is functioning in the play station mode.
Various other features, advantages and characteristics of the present invention will become apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art after a reading of the following specification.